Sindh gears up to tackle ‘Nilofar’

KARACHI: The Sindh government has imposed emergency in five districts of the province in view of the looming cyclone threat which is named ‘Nilofar’, ARY News reported.

The provincial government also announced closure of public sector schools and colleges on Friday. The announcement to this effect was made by Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon during a press conference in Karachi today.

He warned that signboards in urban areas could fall due to windy storm and heavy rains in the wake of cyclone. He also advised citizens to take precautionary measures to avert meeting any tragedy. The five districts of Sindh where emergency is imposed also include Thatta and Badin.

The minister also urged people to avoid coming out of their homes when cyclone makes a landfall. He informed that section-144 had been imposed on sea sides, hence public should avoid visiting the beach during the said period.

According to met officials, tropical Cyclone Nilofar will be far from the dangerous cyclone it strengthened into earlier this week when it impacts India and Pakistan, but localized downpours are still a threa.

Nilofar reached its peak intensity on Tuesday with maximum sustained winds of nearly 215 kph (135 mph), making it a very severe cyclonic storm and the equivalent of a minimal Category 4 hurricane in the eastern Pacific or Atlantic basins.